Page 52 of If Love Had A Price (If Love 3)

“It’s not like you’re around often enough to hear us argue.” Kris regretted the words the minute they left their mouth.

Gloria smirked, and Roger glared at her with an intensity that made Kris’s toes curl in her suede Prada boots.

“Perhaps I haven’t been around as often as I would’ve liked,” Roger acknowledged. “But Iwillbe here this summer. I’m staying in Los Angeles until your job with Bobbi Rayden is over and we return to Seattle—together.” He took a deep breath and smoothed a hand over the front of his shirt. “Meanwhile, you and Gloria will spend time together, one-on-one, at least once a week.”

Kris’s jaw dropped while Gloria froze, looking like a displeased mannequin in a department store.

“But—” They spoke at the same time.

“Once a week,”Roger repeated firmly. “I don’t care if it’s shopping or brunch or a damn knitting club. Clearly, living in the same house isn’t enough. Youwillspend quality time together until you get along.”

Kris resisted the urge to tell her father that just because you got to know someone better, it didn’t mean you’d like them more. She was sure she’d like Gloria better if sheneversaw her.

But that wouldn’t go over well, so Kris remained silent.

“I also want to meet your boyfriend.”

She blanched. “I don’t think—”

“I’m hosting a dinner party for some of my entertainment industry friends in a few weeks,” Roger said. Gloria’s eyebrows shot up, betraying her surprise. Kris was equally caught off guard. Her father hated parties. He only tolerated them for networking and publicity purposes, and he avoided hosting them as much as possible. “Movie studio heads. Directors. Producers. Invite Nate. Perhaps he could make some useful connections.”

Huh. Was her dad trying tohelpNate? Roger Carrera was all business when it came to his high-powered contacts, and it was not like him to invite someone he’d never met to a hobnobbing event with some of L.A.’s most powerful.

“Make sure he’s prepared,” her father continued. “If he embarrasses me, I’ll make sure he won’t get so much as an appearance in a dog food commercial.”

That sounded more like Roger.

“Okay.” Kris didn’t know what else to say.

In the span of forty-eight hours, her hire-Nate-to-seduce-Gloria scheme had veered so far off the rails she couldn’t see the tracks. She could only hope she wouldn’t be crushed at the end of all of this.